[quote user="bigblue235"]
[quote user="Clare Newsome"] (PS, Ash - just a tip: it's probably not best to suggest your potential customers don't know how to listen. Everyone should be able to make up their own mind about what suits them.) [/quote]
Yeah, I'd have to agree with that. Ashley, I think you're maybe in slight danger of becoming a sales prevention officer here
In the past few days you've criticised the review of those speakers, made unflattering comments about typical hi-fi buyers and PC users, people who buy premium cables... and I'm sure many other things/people in threads I've not yet read!
You've slated pretty much the whole PC market, said there are corners cut on Windows PC's and stated that Macs are "faster" and "better specced" than PC's, amongst other inaccuracies. You've mentioned numerous supposed selling points about Macs that are equally as relevant to PC's, whilst ignoring all the positives that the PC market has. I appreciate the Mac has its uses, but so do Windows (or Linux) boxes for that matter.
With regard to the AMD9's, claiming that you're giving people £5000 worth of kit for £1000 makes me cringe slightly. You're not really, are you? I have no idea what your cost price for those speakers is, nor do I wish to know, but it's under £1000, clearly. So with that in mind, how could you add a mark up of £4000+ on them?
If, when suggesting comparison to your separates, you're implying that it would cost a typical consumer £5000 in AVI gear to get the match of the active speakers, then if said consumer doesn't wish to buy those speakers, then they're certainly not going to buy the AVI separates for £4000 more!
I have no doubt that the ADM9's are a wonderful product and I'm sure they could be classed as being worth far more than £1000, certainly in performance terms anyway. However, despite the HFC review comparing them to £5000 speakers, you obviously know that you can't charge that for them. If this is the way the market heads, then I'm sure many of your competitors will start offering similar products, at similar £1000 prices.
I
greatly admire your passion and products, it's why I'm making this post. I'd hate to see you undermine your own product, but I really think you're in grave danger of doing it, and shooting yourself in the foot, at least on this site.
Likewise your website, there's not many professional audio companies (or companies of any sort) that use words or phrases like "they think all hi-fi enthusiasts are barking"
on their homepage. I guess that's your handywork too?
But making sweeping statements there, like you do here, will alienate many people. Stating things like "iPod shuffles sound as good as the best CD players made" is all well and good if everyone believes it, but if people (for whatever reason, whether right or wrong) disagree, they're not going to take you seriously.
Sorry for rambling, but I have much personal, painful experience of fantastic products and services not doing well because of poor marketing. Please consider how your posts are coming across, and also consider getting someone to re-write your homepage, or at least ask some hi-fi journo's what they think of it. Freelance job for Mr. Everard perhaps?!
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You are of course right to be sceptical but as you do, even I can't argue with the value issue of those 9's. A quality powerful amplifier, pre-amp, Dac, R/C, and what looks like decent speakers (though they left me unmoved during the very short time I've heard them but I will audition them and the new versions asap) sounds like very good value. Whether they amount to 5k who knows but it probably would be impossible to build a separates system for the money.
Plus he makes interesting reading and contributed with valuable information. I wished more industry reps take part even if they plug their products. We can always disagree and express our opinions and that makes for interesting threads.